This invention relates generally to portable hand-held power tools such as drills and screw guns, and more particularly to an after-market accessory adapted for attachment to such tools for extending the working range of a person using the same.
A number of systems have been developed for assisting a user thereof to install screws and fasteners in high or otherwise unreachable areas. Many of the early designs incorporated systems directed to motorized and hand operated units, such as a drills, wrenches or the like, having a long extension member extending therefrom to provide means for extending the range of the user. For example, in 1976 U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,191 issued to Murray disclosing an attachment for a portable power screwdriver. In 1978 U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,444 issued to Siebrecht disclosing a drill bit extension which utilized a length pipe for the extension. In 1982 U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,064 issued to Markle disclosing a tool adapted for use with a socket wrench. In 1988 U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,783 issued to Stanich et al disclosing a modified drive rod to replace the original drive rod in a power screwdriver. In 1989 U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,958 issued to McNeeley disclosing a system employing multiple socket heads joined to form a stacked extension. In 1990 U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,548 issued to Colace et al showing an adjustable extension designed for use with ratchet wrenches. Similarly, in 1991 U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,337 issued to Thomas illustrating an extension unit used in conjunction with wrench-type hand tools. In 1992 U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,104 issued to O utilizing a telescoping housing attached to a hand held power tool such as a drill. In 1993 U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,900 issued to Deri directed to an automatic screw feeding mechanism for a conventional drill wherein the drill unit is held in the user""s hand. Finally, in 1995 U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,681 issued to Strauch showing an elongate tubular housing that attaches to a hand-held drill.
Although each of the above noted inventions effectively extend the working reach of the user, none are directed to retrofitting an ordinary, readily available screw gun to an extension device wherein modifications to the screw gun or its attachments are unnecessary for the extension of its working reach. Accordingly, a need remains for an inexpensive, simple device adapted to engage a common screw gun to extend the working range thereof by placing the screw gun closer to the surface disposed to receive the fastener.
One object of the present invention is to increase the productivity of installers of sheet-rock products.
A second object is to increase the speed of installation of sheet-rock.
Another object of the invention is to eliminate the need for ladders, stools and the like when installing sheet rock or the like in high areas.
Yet another object of the present invention is to place the screw gun closer to the sheet-rock or similar material without having the user employ ladders or the like.
A further object is to reduce the time involved to attach an extension device to a screw gun.
Still another object is to increase the safety of work that involves the installation of sheet-rock.
The invention is an extension accessory provided for extending the effective working range/reach of an electric screw gun so that a user thereof can more easily reach areas high overhead. The extension accessory is adapted to removably mount and attach to a screw gun of the type arranged for receiving a replaceable bit that rotates about a bit rotation axis. Such screw guns typically include a housing that defines a handle for griping, a body for supporting and enclosing a drive mechanism, and a bit receiving nose that extends from the body about the bit rotation axis. Accordingly, the bit receiving nose is adapted for receiving the screw bit.
For this purpose, the extension accessory comprises a shaft disposed for orientation about a shaft axis that is substantially parallel to the bit rotation axis of the screw gun. The shaft includes a gripping end for gripping the same by the user, and a coupling end for fixedly mounting a screw gun thereto. Accordingly, a first retaining band is supported from the shaft at the coupling end for receiving the body of a screw gun therethrough. Once the body of the screw gun is so received, the first retaining band is adjusted to urge the body of the screw gun toward the shaft for fixing the screw gun thereto.
In addition, a second retaining band supported from the shaft, is spaced from the first retaining band for securably receiving the bit receiving nose therethrough. Likewise, the second retaining band is adjusted to urge the bit receiving nose of the screw gun toward the shaft for fixing the screw gun thereto. With this configuration, the distance between the first band and the second band is variable to permit adjustment so that the extension accessory can accommodate a plurality of unlike screw guns.
The foregoing and additional objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.